Our Vic bids to strike gold at Newbury

Our Vic heads a final field of just nine runners in the Raymond Mould Supporting Greatwood Gold Cup at Newbury tomorrow.

David Pipe’s 12-year-old has enjoyed a fantastic start to 2010 having struck gold in the Peter Marsh Chase at Haydock before filling the runner-up spot in the Blue Square Gold Cup at the same track.

Champion trainer Paul Nicholls saddles Big Fella Thanks and Pasco, while Nigel Twiston-Davies is represented by Battlecry as he bids for a second successive big Saturday prize having won last weekend’s Racing Post Chase at Kempton with 11-1 shot Razor Royale.

Gary Moore’s Panjo Bere and the Jonjo O’Neill-trained Can’t Buy Time both arrive on the back of victories, while Regal Heights, Stan and Au Courant complete the field.

Newbury will be raising funds for Greatwood, the Marlborough racehorse rehabilitation centre.

And this afternoon’s meeting at the Berkshire course will see the buckets out for West Berkshire Mencap. The charity provides high-quality services for people with learning disabilities, their families, carers and professionals.

The Warren Greatrex-trained Quintessentially, having finished third and second in his previous two outings, will be looking to get his head in front in the 4.30pm.

In the same race, both Maraafeq and Willies Way won last time out and will be looking for the double.

Super Kenny gets a chance to show if the ante-post interest for the JCB Triumph Hurdle is justified as he makes his British debut in the opening race (2.10).

Trained by Nicky Henderson and owned by Highclere Thoroughbred Racing, Super Kenny is already a general 16-1 shot for Cheltenham in two weeks’ time, and even shorter with some bookmakers.

He arrives with decent French Flat form, winning several times over nine furlongs and finishing up with a third-placed finish in an extended 10-furlong Listed event at Le Croise-Laroche.

He faces five rivals in the Arbuthnot Juvenile Novices’ Hurdle with only one, Rougham, having shown a respectable level of form.

Highclere director Alex Smith said: “He has had a few entries in recent weeks, but we have been waiting for the right ground.

“It’s supposed to be soft, good to soft in places and Nicky feels he will be better on better ground. He has been schooling well and showing a bit at home so we’re looking forward to it.”

There has been added interest in Super Kenny due to the fact former Scotland rugby international Kenny Logan and his television presenter wife Gabby are among the members of the syndicate. But neither are expected to be at Newbury today due to other commitments.

West Berkshire Racing Club are holding a Cheltenham Festival preview at Newbury racecourse on Monday at 8pm.

The panel and guests are expected to include Channel 4’s Tanya Stevenson, racing journalist Tony Stafford and former Newbury Racecourse MD Mark Kershaw.

Admission is £2 for members and £5 for non members.

My tips for tomorrow are Can’t Buy Time at Newbury and Washington Irving in the 4.10 at Kelso.

Channel 4 are televising four races from Newbury tomorrow, the 2.05, 2.35, 3.10 and 3.45, along with Doncaster’s 2.20 and 3.25, plus the 2.50 from Kempton.